manna from heaven

Cultural  

1. Food that God gave miraculously to the Israelites in the Exodus, after the food they had brought with them out of Egypt (see also Egypt) had run out. In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites found it one morning after the dew had evaporated: “Upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.”

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manna from heaven Idioms  

1. An unexpected aid, advantage, or assistance, as in After all the criticism in the media, that favorable evaluation was like manna from heaven. This expression alludes to the food (manna) that miraculously appears to feed the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (Exodus 16:15).

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Example Sentences

The 1980s reforms were like manna from heaven for him.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2025

When I got home, I flung myself onto the couch, basking in the AC’s icy coolness as if it were manna from heaven.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2024

But as a person who enjoys marveling at the incredible weirdos who get elected in this country, I have to admit that the George Santos saga was like manna from heaven.

From Slate • Nov. 16, 2023

And I think that the show, alongside some other factors, has contributed to the demographic shifting significantly younger for that sport, which is obviously manna from heaven if that’s what your objective was.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2022

Loading up on free wood was like gathering manna from heaven, and how could a person be completely cynical about that?

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols